The invention relates to a single-channel magnetic head having a head face which extends in a first direction in which a magnetic record carrier is relatively movable with respect to the magnetic head, and in a second direction transverse to the first direction, and having a structure of layers which, viewed in the first direction, are situated one on top of the other and extend substantially in the second direction and a third direction transverse to the first and the second direction. This structure is provided with a magnetoresistive measuring element having an effective width extending in the second direction, a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element viewed; in the first direction, said magnetic elements are situated in an at least partially overlapping relationship, at least the first magnetic element of said elements extends as far as the head face and both magnetic elements are electrically conducting. The measuring element are arranged electrically in series between the two magnetic elements for passing a measuring current through the measuring element substantially in the third direction, and each magnetic element has an electric connection face.
A magnetic head of this type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,467. The known magnetic head has a spin-valve magnetoresistive sensor which is incorporated in a magnetic yoke. Two yoke parts of the yoke are electrically interconnected at a head face of the magnetic head by means of an electrically conducting gap layer, while one of the yoke parts is provided with an interruption which is electrically and magnetically bridged by the sensor. Each yoke part is provided in an area spaced apart from the head face with electrically conducting layers oriented transversely to the yoke parts, which layers terminate in connection faces situated beside the yoke parts. The sensor has an effective portion within which changes of magnetization are detected during scanning. Although a relatively narrow read channel can be realized with the known magnetic head, this head does not have an optimal stability, which is due to the yoke configuration used. This is particularly the case with a small yoke width because then there is a clear risk that the yoke parts are split up into magnetic domains so that instabilities and Barkhausen noise occur.